Upper Middle Petrol Head:

UMPH is hoping to have his shots of Saturday's Longley Targa 2016 stage up in the next day or so (editing and dodgy internet speed have slowed him down).  In the meantime, please enjoy these tasters. This absolutely fabulous L34 Torana looked like this right up to half way through Longley, which is the event's final competitive stage.  Sadly, the next time UMPH and The Operative saw it again was a short time later, sharing the back of a flat-bed truck heading down Macquarie Street with two 911s that also looked a little worse for wear.   Commiserations to those crews who fell in the latter stages of the event.  Thanks, too, for having given your all right to the end.   U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au .)

Last time we saw this left-hand drive Falcon convertible, it had its roof down ( https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7165367970551834236#editor/target=post;postID=6267208270993806494;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=16;src=postname ).  If it were an MGB or an MX5, seeing it with its lid up wouldn't likely be cause for a second post.  However, convertible Falcons are much rarer beasts in Australia and, in this instance, the roof and side windows have rather changed the look of the whole car. U M P H. ( uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au ).

This splendid Morris 1000 looks like it may have been restored fairly recently, given its fresh paint and the E -prefix rego plate.  Whoever did it up has trodden a fine line between originality, safety and creature comfort, having fitted radial ply tyres and high-back velour front seats.  The lightly metalicised paint is hugely unlikely to be original, either.  The results are, however, very nice - although they probably wouldn't appeal to the purists!   Who knows what's lurking beneath the bonnet?  Datsun 1200 and 1400 motors are said to be popular up-grades that improved reliability and driveability, as is fitting similar-sized Corolla engines, but there's nothing to suggest that anything other than an original 1000 powers this car. Morris Minor fans can find two more examples at: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7165367970551834236#editor/target=post;postID=1909322257585434158;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allp...

Just like Grandpa's!  Well, maybe not quite.  But GUMPH (that's grandfather of UMPH, in case you were wondering) did have this exact same model, also in white, purchased new from Launceston's Hollis Motors.  It was rather the gentleman's car back then ; a refined, comfortable ride but somewhat avante garde, too, being a bit of a departure from the predominantly  British marques favoured by GUMPH and his ilk in the early 70s (he drove a Morris Oxford and a Vauxhall Victor before his conversion to Toyotas). This particular example is largely rust-free and, other than a banged-in rear driver's side corner, looked pretty straight.  The interior - complete with low-back buckets, floor change, centre console, and an old-school three-spoke wooden sports steering wheel - also looked to be in fairly good nick. Grandpa would never have approved of the sports steering wheel or 8 ball gear knob! AMI - Australian Motor Industries - a local assem...

April's Classics by the Beach featured quite a few cars that UMPH had not seen before, including this rather striking Alfa Giulia Super.  It's hard to image how it had escaped his attention, given its bold paint scheme and racing livery. Also Super was this lovely Ford Anglia featuring a period-style bullet external rear view mirror and Superlite wheels.  The attention to detail was exemplary ; it would be difficult to imagine how it could have looked better.  It was super, too! Anglia by name.  Anglier by design.  Thanks go to the owner of this very nicely restored HQ Monaro in LS - standing for Luxury Sport -  specification for generously showing UMPH the ins and outs of his car.  He's clearly very proud of it and so he should be!     It's a local car, having been sold by Motors Pty Ltd in the early 70s.  The engine is a 253 cu (4.2 litre) Aussie-built V8, coupled to a Trimatic auto tr...